Feature: That's Amore
02/01/2008
It must be witnessed firsthand. The technical and aesthetic wizardry of hydrogen, hybrid and high-revving machines, each well suited to a science fiction movie, are all juxtaposed against the classical architecture and manicured grounds of the Villa d’Este. Further along the gravel driveway, toward the dark blue backdrop of a misty, but sun-drenched Lake Como, a Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé is on display. Finally, near the water’s edge, the stars of the Concorso d’Eleganza are out in a gleaming kaleidoscope of chrome and color from a bygone era.Organizers like to boast of a glorious history reaching back to
1929, but the Concorso has suffered an erratic schedule: In 78 years of
existence, the competition has been held only 22 times. The modern Concorso, now
in its ninth year under the patronage of BMW, varies slightly from the events of
the 1930s and 1940s, when avant-garde women used haute couture fashion to sway
the opinions—and ruffle the feathers—of adjudicating Fascist party officials.
Instead of making presentations at the nearby Villa Olmo, for instance, and
adjourning to the Villa d’Este for prize-giving and parties, today’s event takes
place at the small lakeside palace from which it takes it name, and at the
neighboring Villa Erba.
Built by a Catholic cardinal in 1568, remodeled by the
estranged wife of England’s Prince Regent in the early 18th century and
converted to a Grand Hotel in 1873, Villa d’Este was purchased by the French
Droulers family in 1963. It is today managed by Jean-Marc Droulers, a man of
impeccable presentation and taste, who continues the hotel’s tradition of
celebrating awe-inspiring automobiles from the last century and—since
2000—dreams of the next.
Over lunch, I sit with Bruce Male of Boston, who has entered a 1956 Maserati
A6G/2000 V6 Zagato Coupé, which he bought sight unseen as a desperate
last-minute maneuver to enter the 1994 Mille Miglia. He first laid eyes on the
red beast two days before scrutineering began in Brescia. One hundred miles into
the rally, the gear shift lever broke off in his hand as he changed
enthusiastically into 4th. In Italy you’re never far from a patriotic mechanic,
and no less than eight volunteered to weld a sleeve over the break. It
worked—Male and his son made it to the finish. "After three hours work and having saved us, they refused to accept any
money from me," says Male. "So I gave the owner a big bear hug and thrust a few
hundred thousand lira into his top pocket." Following a recent restoration, the
car’s rosso red exterior and exquisite cream leather interior will shame the fit
and finish of most new cars at your local dealer.
As judging resumes, I discover a white 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C—none
other than the famous "Flying Star" with which Mrs. Josette Pozzo won the Coppa
d’Oro Villa d’Este in 1931. A favorite with the local crowd, it is making its
first public appearance in more than 70 years. Another crowd-pleaser is a 1939
Bugatti 57C—one of the last cars delivered by Ettore Bugatti to Germany before
the war—with its original Voll & Ruhrbeck body. A more sweeping and elegant
design you would be hard pressed to find, and the public award it the coveted
Coppa D’Oro Villa D’Este.
Far from being museum pieces, many of these vehicles are driven
on a regular basis. Per Viberg drove his 1940 BMW 335 convertible all the way
from Norway. Following a wash and a wax, he put it on display. Unsurprisingly,
he won the trophy for "The Car Driven From Farthest Away" from the Automobile
Club of Como. Two other personal favorites: San Francisco-based Peter Read
brought an Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato from his collection, and Peter Kalikow
traveled from New York with his son Nicholas in their weekend driver, a 1961
Ferrari 250 GT SWB finished in what he described as "Alfa Romeo blue." Whatever
the hue, it’s simply gorgeous.
Owners happily engage in detailed technical discussions with
knowledgeable visitors who swarm Villa Erba on the second day of the Concorso.
This enthusiasm is a tribute to the egalitarian atmosphere that permeates the
event. Jaguar’s Ian Callum, in addition to explaining how the stunning XF-C will
influence future designs for the XK and XJ, holds sway on prototypes produced by
the other 12 designers present. These include Jim Glickenhaus’
Pininfarina-bodied, one-off P4/5 Ferrari based on Enzo running gear, and the
VAD.HO BMW V-12 hydrogen-powered gullwing from Giugiaro, with tandem seating and
joystick controls.
When it comes to handing out the major hardware, the judges are
in agreement. They award to owner Ralph Lauren the prestigious Trofeo BMW Group
"Best of Show" for his 300 hp Mercedes-Benz SSK; the Ferrari P4/5, meanwhile,
claims "Most Exciting Design." By all accounts, a splendid combination of
vehicle selection, setting and weather, the 2007 Villa d’Este was best summed up
by Bruce Male: "With German organization, Swiss timing—courtesy of Girard
Perregaux—and Italian culture and cuisine, how can you go wrong?" Indeed.
Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este,
www.concorsodeleganzavilladeste.com